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Beef Rendang

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Beef Rendang - the best and most authentic beef rendang recipe you will find online! Spicy, rich and creamy Malaysian/Indonesian beef stew made with beef, spices and coconut milk.

Beef Rendang - the best and most authentic beef rendang recipe you will find online! Spicy, rich and creamy Malaysian/Indonesian beef stew made with beef, spices and coconut milk | rasamalaysia.com

Easy authentic beef rendang recipe with beef, spices and coconut milk in a bowl.

What is Rendang?

Rendang is a rich and tender coconut beef stew which is explosively flavorful and beef rendang is the most popular rendang. Called “rendang daging” in local language, it’s arguably the most famous beef recipe in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Origins of Rendang

Beef rendang is of Indonesian origin, a delicious concoction from the Minangkabau ethnic group of Indonesia. It’s often served at ceremonial occasions and to honor guests.

I believe the dish came to Malaysia when the Minangkabau settlers from Sumatra migrated to the southern part of the Malay peninsula during the era of the Melaka Sultanate.

This dish is well loved by many Malaysians, especially the Malay community.

Rich and creamy Malaysian/Indonesian beef stew made with beef, spices and coconut milk in a bowl.

While beef rendang is the poster child, there are variations such as chicken rendang and lamb rendang.

They are all absolutely delicious and best with rice, or Malaysian coconut milk rice (nasi lemak).

Beef Rendang Malaysian/Indonesian style ready to serve.

What Kind of Beef for Rendang?

I used boneless beef short ribs or stew beef. The cut of beef will ensure that you have soft and tender beef once it’s cooked.

You have to cut the beef into small pieces to ensure that after the slow cooking, each chunk of beef is tender with the aromatic rendang curry paste.

Secret Ingredient of Rendang Sauce

To make the best rendang, you need to have the secret ingredient which is kerisik or toasted coconut.

You also need to cook on low heat to slowly stew and simmer the meat and reduce the rendang sauce. I read that the Minangkabaus save the dish for months as the complex taste and flavor develop over time.

The Best and Most Authentic Rendang

I suggest that you make a big portion so you have some leftover. The flavors and aroma become more intense the next day.

Anyway, try my recipe, it’s the most delicious beef rendang recipe you will find online!

Homemade easy stewed Beef Rendang in a bowl.

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Beef Rendang Recipe

Beef Rendang - the best and most authentic beef rendang recipe you will find online! Spicy, rich and creamy Malaysian/Indonesian beef stew made with beef, spices and coconut milk.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Malaysian
Keyword Beef Rendang
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time
Servings 4
Calories 575 kcal
Author

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs. boneless beef short ribs cut into cubes
  • 5 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 cinnamon stick about 2-inch length
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 star anise
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1 lemongrass cut into 4-inch length and pounded
  • 1 cup thick coconut milk coconut cream
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons tamarind pulp soaked in some warm water for the juice and discard the seeds
  • 6 kaffir lime leaves very finely sliced
  • 6 tablespoons kerisik toasted coconut
  • 1 tablespoon sugar or palm sugar to taste
  • Salt to taste

Spice Paste:

  • 5 shallots
  • 1 inch galangal
  • 3 lemongrass white part only
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 10-12 dried chilies soaked in warm water and seeded

Instructions

  1. Chop the spice paste ingredients and then blend it in a food processor until fine.
  2. Heat the oil in a stew pot, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the beef and the pounded lemongrass and stir for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked. Add the kaffir lime leaves, kerisik (toasted coconut), sugar or palm sugar, stirring to blend well with the meat.
  3. Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is really tender and the gravy has dried up. Add more salt and sugar to taste. Serve immediately with steamed rice and save some for overnight.

Recipe Notes

To prepare the kerisik or toasted coconut, just add the grated coconut to a dry wok and stir continuously until they turn golden brown.

Nutrition Facts
Beef Rendang Recipe
Amount Per Serving (4 g)
Calories 575 Calories from Fat 365
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40.5g 62%
Saturated Fat 19.3g 97%
Cholesterol 111mg 37%
Sodium 104mg 4%
Total Carbohydrates 13.8g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2.4g 10%
Sugars 7.7g
Protein 40g 80%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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290 COMMENTS... read them below or add one

    • This was amazing!! I made a couple of changes…we had left over rate roast beef, so I cut it into big cubes and used that. I couldn’t get galangal so I substituted half ginger and half fresh turmeric. And I added some fine green beans near the end of the cooking time. It was fragrant, spicy and my husband was speechless

      Reply

  2. this sounds delicious…although I think I threw out my frozen kafir lime leaves. do you know if these leaves are readily available in Asian markets?

    Reply

  5. Oh! I didn’t know it didn’t have shrimp paste in it. Maybe all the beef rendangs I had before were oversalted? Ha ha. Looks delicious!

    Reply

  6. Oh wow. I’ve heard lots and lots of good things about beef rendang and it’s been on my list of things to make for a long time. This looks fantastic! I’ll feast vicariously for now, with hopes of making this soon.

    Reply

  7. looks yummy ! We tried a beef rendang from a packet recently and it sucked :-( Will try your recipe next time, it looks much more authentic !

    Reply

    • This recipe is excellent and actually very easy if you don’t need to rush. There’s something Zen-like and satisfying about cutting, peeling, and chopping, and smelling the aromas blend right there on the cutting board. Go for it.

      Reply

    • These beef rendang is like yummy awesome. My daughter tried them and it was like yeggo shakey and she not even liking food. I is change recipe small bit by leaving out all ingredients and swapping short rib for burger and eating in bun, but it still taste same. Goes well with cheese and ketchup. Happy loving times to all x

      Reply

  8. It will be easier for me to use the rendang spices packing that we can get it from the supermarket. Hahaa, lazy people use lazy way. :)

    Rendang, long time never eat.

    Reply

  11. My mother has a very good beef rendang recipe that makes the best beef rendang. Yours look just like her beef rendang. I am sure your beef rendang recipe is very good. Home sick. :(

    Reply

  12. Beef rendang is a dish that I’ve not try out… yet! the cooking steps are just too daunting for me at the moment. I might give your recipe a try one of these days, because your picture makes me drool again. ;-)

    Reply

  13. I never made that either. Which is not shocking since I didn’t cook till last month. Plus, the ingredient list is a bit too long huh. I tried a packaged-spices for rendang last week. It doesn’t turn out anything like the photos in the box!

    But rendang lasts a long time if you make a big batch, right. I know someone who froze hers and it lasted her a week. So, it really worth the trouble.

    Thanks for the sharing. It must be a pain and rewarding at the same time.

    Reply

  14. Clap clap clap!!!! Beef Rendang! Love this dish and you are right…explosive flavors! Your’s looks absolutely perfect!

    Reply

  17. wow, kudos for making rendang from scratch! I usually just buy the packet mix. :p Do you know of any good brand out there? I haven’t found any that tastes like the real deal.

    Reply

  18. This looks absolutely delightful! The weather around here is getting colder, and I think this would be just perfect for a chilly fall night.

    Reply

  21. This is one of my all-time favorite Malaysian dishes, yet I’ve never tried to make it. But the lemongrass in my herb garden is ready to be harvested, and here is your recipe — I think the universe is trying to tell me that it’s time to make beef rendang!

    Reply

  22. This beef rendang recipe looks do moist and delicious. I can see the spices and the kerisik coating each piece of the beef rendang meat, I love it.

    Reply

  25. Veron – yes, you can get frozen kaffir lime leaves at Asian stores, but sometimes, they are not available. I believe it’s seasonal. But you should keep them in your fridge, they last FOREVER!

    Reply

  27. This is the best read by far. The photos are so enticing. It is surprising you can get all the ingredients over in US. Looking at the rendang I involuntarily thought of lemang that goes with it. Who is Lone Ranger without Tonto? Love it!!

    Reply

    • Next time your rendang turns out tough, try pounding a Panadol or two into powder and add to the rendang with a cup of water or more and boil again until tender and gravy is thick again.

      Reply

    • If your beef is too lean the beef will be dry if cooked too long. Try using acid like lemon or lime, kiwi fruit, papaya or any meat tenderizer to tenderize the lean meat. The best meat to use is with fat in it. Cook the rendang as usual, then turn down the heat to simmer for 45mins or more. With this method the fat will slowly melt and be very tender.

      Reply

  31. Thank you for the recipe. I tried it yesterday and it was absolutely delicious!

    I have tried many recipes but none is to my liking. Thanks again.

    Reply

  35. hi, beef rendang is always one of my favourite dishes. there are so many versions available depending on the cook. i love the flavour that is dominated by red onion/shallot flavour. one of the methods to reduce the cooking time is to use home made spice paste as what i do at home. the cooking time is only about 1-1.5 hours instead of 3-4 hours or even the whole day when one wants it to be dark in colour.

    Reply

  36. YUM! I’ve just finished my beef rendang for ied. it’s always lovely with lontong (what do you call this in malay?).

    Reply

  38. This is my favorite dish when I come to Malaysia (usually 4 or 5 times a year as I’m an expat living in Bangkok). This sounds wonderful. Must try it :-)

    Reply

  39. I have tried to make beef rendang a couple of times, but the meat always turned out tough instead of soft… any idea why that is?

    Reply

  41. This is the recipe that drawn me to your blog (and I’m very glad that I’ve found your blog!). I am making this for lunch today (with instant paste, unfortunately) and started making them last night with a pressure cooker in the hope that the beef will be tender and more flavour-infused by today.

    The use of toasted coconut is interesting and it added more fragrance to my beef rendang. I also used fried red onions in the spice paste and also for garnishing.

    Reply

  42. HI there! I’m making this at the moment and can’t find anywhere a reference to where I should add the water? I’m going to take a guess and add it with the coconut milk. I hope it goes well!

    Reply

  43. I would like to try your recipe, but I am affraid that my beef will come out hard. Is there secret to soften the beef?

    Reply

  44. People listen to me,
    I have looked a lot for the ultimate Rendang recipe. I had it many times since I was a child. I was made by many different cooks. Some at home and some in restaurants. believe it or not all these encounters were in Saudi arabia where we have a big malay influence in the western region due to ancient immagration to Mekkah AlMukarramah.
    I think this dish is more like a signature dish for a malay/indonesian chef. This recipe is by far the best Rendang I ever had. However, I remember one of the ingredients that is missing here. which is ground (macademia like nuts). and a tea spoon of tomato paste to add some colour.
    Very Very recommendable.

    Reply

      • Rasa! Thank you so much for this beautiful recipe. I am quite new to this delicious cooking. Would it be possible for me to follow all steps up to the simmer, but then move to slow cook in crockpot?

        Reply

        • My family are hunters and we have a freezer full of venison.just made the rendang with deer meat,omg soooo good, turned out great.we live in Houston and have plenty of asian grocery stores,could find everything except the lime leaves. It was wonderful!!

          Reply

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    Reply

  46. My husband and I and two other couples get together once a month for an International dinner night. This month we cooked Malaysian food and I made this beef rendang. Absolutely incredible! My husband loves my cooking and has many favorite dishes but he thought this was the BEST dish I have ever made. I felt pretty proud that my dish was the best one there :) Thanks for such an awesome recipe.

    Reply

  47. Tried this recipe and it turned out excellent. We used to go to our favourite restaurant for beef rendang and now we can have it straight from the kitchen. Husband likes it a lot too.

    My rendang was “pale” as I couldn’t find gula melaka so I used brown sugar instead. I boiled the beef for about an hour before adding it to the spice so that it is really soft and tender.

    Your recipe is very easy to follow and the instructions are clear. I also made the spice paste from scratch and it turned out all right. Lots of work but it’s worth it. Husband said I should share this recipe with everyone we know.

    Thank you for sharing your recipe with us!

    ps: If you would like, I can share my rendang’s version pic!

    Reply

      • thanks a million…i’m gonna cook it this weekend and i’ll give you the verdict. just in case though, are there any good vegetarian malaysian recipes you could recommend? :)

        Reply

        • Hmm…strictly vegetarian? No seafood, too?

          Actually, most of the curry dish I have on my blog can be done without meat and still taste delicious. You can add potatoes, carrots, lady’s fingers, green beans, tomatoes and other vegetables good for stew into curry. I like to add oil tofu into curries, too.

          Some stir fry dishes I have can also be done with tofu, but please make sure you use the hard or fried tofu so they don’t disintegrate in your process of cooking.

          Reminder, rendang is definitely a meat dish. Hope this helps.

          Reply

  50. Hello,
    Your rendang look really appetizing..btw, i read through your recipe, in the ingredient mention 1 cup of water, but i didn’t see it was included in the method/instruction, could you please clarify, thank you so much for sharing this recipe.

    ita

    Reply

  51. Hi,
    I’ve always cooked rendang from instant packets so decided to attempt one from scratch. Tried this excellent rendang recipe but with a pressure cooker to get the meat tender (omitting the cup of water). The flavour of the sauce with the tender meat was incredible. However, wasn’t really satisfied because the colour of the rendang turned out really pale! I suppose there is no substitute for that slow cooking eh? It’s the slow cooking for 3 hours which turns it a brown colour right? Thanks for this recipe!

    Reply

  53. Just made this from scratch with fresh ingredients (including coconut scraped out of fresh Thai coconuts, then fried right before addition). I added 3x kemiri to it. I wish I had some daun salam to add, but I don’t. :(

    Reply

  56. Can I use chicken instead of beef?is the ingredient same?some of rendang recepi use ketumbar(in malay).can I add it also?

    Reply

  58. Thank you for sharing the recipe, my children absolutely love it. I used all fresh ingredients and it was worth it.

    I wonder how you would suggest making this in a crockpot or a slow cooker? Do you think I would be successful if I did all of the preparation you said in the wok and then at the end put it all in the slow cooker on low and let it cook during the day? Maybe that would be too long of a time?

    I would love to be able to make this for dinner by preparing it in the morning and having it ready by dinnertime. Otherwise I will have to wait until sundays to eat it!

    Thanks again!

    (I also used your how to make shrimp crucnhy suggestions = genius…just great secret)

    Reply

  60. I’m just back in the states from a couple of weeks in Singapore where I had beef rendang for the first time. This looks like a great recipe, I am going to try it this Saturday.

    Reply

  61. I was SO excited to make this recipe, and it took me hours to collect all of the ingredients to make it from scratch. It was fun, but I was dissapointed because I followed all of your directions exactly, which said to cover the dish while it simmered, so the sauce never reduced. It turned out with way to much liquid that didn’t soak into the meat, and I cooked it for longer than the recommended time.

    Reply

    • I don’t know what happened. I have readers who tried this recipe and had great success, you can read the comments. Sauce reduces with heat and cooking time because it will vaporize, if it’s still too much liquid for you, then turn up the heat and uncover and keep stirring until the sauce dries up.

      Reply

  62. Hey! I was prompted by the takbir I listened from a radio, then I found myself googling for rendang daging recipe —–and——found yours!

    Real glad I tried yours, because somewhat I think it pretty close like mum’s. ( She was not around at that time to ask for recipe T_T )

    Anyway, thanks! Hehe =)

    Reply

  63. Great rendang recipe. I just made it today for the first time but I substitute the fresh lemon grass and galangal with powder version. Still taste good but I imagine it always taste better with fresh ingredients.

    Reply

  64. I have been looking for this recipe – looks perfect!

    Should the beef be brown after step 4 or does if develop the deep color during simmering?

    Reply

  67. We just made this rendang tonight and it is *good*! It’s a little oily at the end, but that makes sense since the long cooking evaporated all the water out of the coconut milk. I think we’re going to let it mature in the fridge for a couple of days and then have it with a ton of rice.

    Reply

  68. I made this recipe for some neighbours for a dinner party. Boy, what a mistake it was amazing!
    I am now having to cook it for peoples birthday presents etc., I have a friend who is malaysian, he said it is better than his Mothers. I have been around to his house to show him step by step how to cook it.

    This week a friends 50th…….dont want a present could you just cook that Rendang……Yummy!

    Reply

  70. RENDANG IS INDONESIAN FOOD FROM THE SUMATRA ISLANDS. I’M NOT SURE HOW MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE CAN CLAIM OTHER COUNTRIES CULTURES. DON’T THEY HAVE ANY NATIONAL PRIDE?

    Reply

      • The author of this blog clearly stated this dish originated from Indonesia. Please read before leaving any comments. Some of our ancestors came from Indonesia and that is why we all learned about it in our cooking. No one claimed that this dish originated from singapore or Malaysia.

        Reply

        • that’s why if PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT RENDANG PADANG,YOU SHOULD ASK TO INDONESIAN ESPECIALLY TO PADANG PEOPLE!NOT TO MALAYSIAN!

          Reply

          • Most part of sumatra and the Malay peninsular incl Singapore were in fact the same country since the beginning of time until the dutch and the british split it last century.. Indonesia only existed in 1945?

            Reply

  71. Made this last night. Thank you so much for the recipe! It was wonderful. Spent a week in Jakarta a few years back and have wanted to have this again. It brought back great memories. Totally worth the time it took to make it.

    Reply

  72. Hi,
    I just want say thank you for sharing the recipe. Tried it yesterday and turned out well. Def taste better when u let it sit. Indo style rendang recipe doesn’t normally include cinnamon n star anise, so I was a bit skeptic at first. Spent a lot of time on preparation, but in the end it was worth the effort. Next time I will cook double batch and keep it in the freezer for 3 months supply.

    Reply

  73. hi…just wanted to say thank you for sharing this recipe.. the rendang is so tasty ! i’ve just made another batch..its becoming a monthly event at our household.. :)

    Reply

  74. hi…im a filipino and i went already there in malaysia,i really love malaysian rendang and nasi lemak,uhmm actually malaysian dish !!!!!hihhi ok thanks alot for posting ur recipes..but some are hard to find

    Reply

  75. HI Rasa Malaysia,

    This is the second time i tried your rendang recipe! It is such an excellent recipe! The only question i need to ask is how do i get that browny colour? My rendang looks pale and creamy colour….thanks

    *you have done a great job in blogging, i reckon you have helped a lot of wives or housewives out there to learn on how to cook!*

    Yvonne

    Reply

    • Hi Yvonne,

      It depends on the cut of meat, sometimes. Just simmer on low heat for a long time and it will turn brown. Also, make sure you toasted coconut is somewhat golden brown in color. Also, dried chilies in different countries have different colors. You can add some kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) or dark soy sauce to bring out the color, too. :)

      Thanks for your sweet comment. :)

      Reply

      • Thanks for your prompt reply! The last question which i need to ask you is…i made the rendang twice and the first time i thought that i didnt blend the ingredients smooth enough. So, i blended it longer the second time. But i still can “see” the blended ingredients in my cooked rendang.You know how some rendang has a smooth texture, like yours, which you can only see the pounded lemongrass. Thanks once again

        Yvonne

        Reply

  76. i was looking for a beef rendang recipe and got here. boy, i didn;t know it took this much to cook this beef dish1!! i knew about the coconut but it just has too many spices, many of which are not available in the philippines. too bad. is there a way i can cook it with a pre-mix of spices or something? i tasted this when i was in indonesia and have never had it since. thanks!

    Reply

  77. I’m so excited to find this recipe! I’m eager to try it but may I know at which point should the candle nut be added and how much candle nut to use if using them? Thanks!

    Reply

  79. Cooked this Rendang last week it was lovely in fact I am cooking it again tonight at this very moment just be patient with it as the wait is worth it yum yum

    Reply

  80. im currently attempting this recipe and it isnt reducing :( i have so many problems whenever i try to make rendang .. can you tell me why mine always turns out so pale?
    though its not going as planed it still tastes delicious i love your website and your recipes are always amazing! :)

    Reply

    • You have to cook on low heat. For the color, you have to saute the spice paste until the oil separates. I have one reader who has just made it according to my recipe and her picture is the same color as mine.

      Reply

  81. Hi!
    I am an avid reader of your blog and almost always look for recipes here first. Thanks for sharing all the wonderful recipes!

    I was wondering if its possibe to substitute beef with lamb? Cause my parents don’t eat beef due to religion.

    Reply

  82. I’ve cooked this twice and it’s getting better each time I make it. Thanks for the recipe.

    One question though: do you need to bruise the cardamom pods or crack them in any way? I’ve not used them much before and have noticed some recipes call for this. Is this something you should always do?

    Thanks and I love the website!

    Reply

  84. I tried this recipe yesterday almost word for word except that I increased the shallots and garlic in the spice paste (I used more beef than called for). It came out terrific!

    Reply

  85. I see a few posts here about the meat turning out tough or hard.

    In such cases, (whatever meat it is – chicken, mutton or beef) the solution is to take 1-2 tablets of Panadol (depending on the amount cooked) and pound them into powder and add them to the dish with enough water and bring to a boil again until the gravy thickens. The meat should become soft.

    Another way is to tenderize the meat by marinating them in pineapple juice for 30-60 mins before cooking. Pineapple or papaya juice can tenderize meat.

    Reply

  87. We just made this rendang tonight and it is *good*! It’s a little oily at the end, but that makes sense since the long cooking evaporated all the water out of the coconut milk. I think we’re going to let it mature in the fridge for a couple of days and then have it with a ton of rice.

    Reply

  88. Can you please create a special food ingredients ‘English – Malay – Local Dialects’ dictionary. I am a beginner/learner cook enthusiast and I have problem buying ingredients when I use the English terms which the ordinary seller doesn’t understand.

    Thank you.

    John Chin

    Reply

  89. I was wondering – for your recipes, when you say 1 star anise for instance, do you mean an entire head (with all 8 points) or just 1 point (containing just one seed)?

    Thanks!

    Reply

  90. Looks great, I can’t wait to try making it! For the cardamom pods – are they the brown or the green ones? They lend a very different taste so I want to make sure I’m using the right ones. Thanks! :)

    Reply

  91. Delicious! Thank you! I couldn’t find tamarind so I used some tamarind soup powder to taste. I don’t know if what I produced had enough ‘tamarind’ flavor – is there a substitute? Also I found that after 3 hours on low heat nothing was happening so I used a medium-high heat until the liquid was seriously reduced. Perhaps electric stove tops are different. I found I could not really taste the cardamon, star anise, or cinnamon – perhaps spices here in Montreal are older or stale. Next time I will increase those a bit. Or perhaps I could have cooked them alone in the oil for a minute or two before adding the spice paste.

    Reply

  92. Excellent recipe, worth the time and effort to make. There are no Indonesian or Malaysian restaurants in the part of the UK I live in, so home cooking it was the only way to introduce my friends and family to this food. Only problem is sourcing some of the ingredients in northern England. I can’t find kaffir leaves anywhere!
    Really good website, tks for the recipes!
    Lee

    Reply

    • For the person who could not find Kaffir Lime Leaves. I got some from my local waitrose. They were dried. I have also got them from Wing Yip which is a big chinese supermarket. Ask your local chinese restaurant where they get their supplies from.

      Reply

  93. Plesse gebe me aneader reseppi i likwe it rendang and inastaction for cooking thanks for rasamalaysia

    Reply

  94. Hi, I have been cooking the recipe according to directions, it has been simmering for nearly 2 hours on low heat. The meat is tender and juicy, BUT, no reducing has taken place, what should I do? It looks like a beef stew with plenty of stock. Please help!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

  95. I have been a lover of beef rendand for years!!! Unfortunately, we are going on the road for the nxt few years and I won’t have a blender etc etc….I need the old traditional ways of making it….pls email me for any hints
    [email protected]

    thanks.

    Reply

  96. Best Rendang recipe I have tried. I have used green or black cardamom both are good. I tend to put the rendang after stage 5, but don’t add the kerisik, in to a slow cooker either overnight or 5-6 hours on low. Then when were ready to eat it I add the Kerisik and cook for 30 mins and it tastes fantastic having matured and Kerisik will soak up the juices. Personal opinion but Palm sugar is a must granulated takes away some of the flavour of the spices.

    Reply

  97. This is a fantastic fantastic beef rendang recipe! My whole family loves it. Each time I cook, I will cook 1kg of beef and yet not enough. I increased all the ingredients proportionately to 1kg of beef used. The only difference I did was to add in a packet of pre-mix beef rendang powder. It still tasted great but my neighbour found the overall spices flavour overpowering. Do you think I should :-
    A) omit this premix altogether
    B) use 1/2 a packet premix with 1kg of beef
    C) use 1 whole packet of premix but increase my beef to 2kg
    (the rest of the ingredients will be for 1kg of beef)

    Appreciate your help as I intend to cook for a potluck lunch this coming Saturday. Thanks!

    Reply

    • This is amazing, I have looked this up as I am also going to try cooking this weekend! I used sauce packet mix previously – so pedas, watery (even after boiling for ages) and no flavour. Very frustrating as I am in the UK and fresh ingredients are not that easy to get.

      Why not try using more coconut milk? Think this is what I will do now I’ve read this recipe. Good luck!

      Reply

    • @teo ai li since Bee Yinn Low gave us the recipe of the Randang spices, why have to waste money to buy a packet Rendang Mix !! Keep that for travel as I often bring along this prepacked curry paste to Australia or any Western countries as I can get good and cheap meat especially in the market just 3 hrs before closing for weekends in Melbourne Victoria Market, they cut the price to 80 %++ !! For Stewing beef only A$ 0.80 per kg !!
      Since it is so, so yummy, I will cook this one day as I will cook Ipoh Laksa tomorrow !!

      Reply

  98. I actually lived in West Sumatra and indeed the Rendang Daging Sapi originated from there. They also speak with a slightly different dialect. Especially the last sylable was changed.
    Rendang is often cooked until it is dry and thus easy to eat what one is on the road.

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  99. I’ve made this before and it is fantastic. I plan to cook it on New Years Eve but will need to use about 3 pounds of beef – should I just double everything up? I’m just a bit worried that star anise and cinammon can be over powering.

    Reply

    • Hi Karl.

      30years after I last had it, I am going to attempt the recipe on this site, but I want to make considerably more than this particular recipe states. Yours was the only post I could find that had the same question as I do……do I double – or triple up on EVERYTHING, or do adjustments need to be made?
      I note that your post was just over 2 years ago, so am hoping you can share your information with me please?

      Many Thanks and Greetings from DownUnda!

      Reply

  100. Today, I decided to try this recipe! As a Malaysian, I should really make an effort to make Beef Rendang from scratch, WITHOUT using pre-mix :)) I’ve given this link to my friends on so many occasions whenever they asked me for Beef Rendang recipe! And they all have great comments! Needless to say, they were absolutely right! It’s easy to follow and I even made the “kerisik” (toasted coconut) myself. It’s worth the extra work! :))

    Reply

    • As a Malaysian, I can categorically say that you CAN use chicken – we make this all the time! Because of the kind of chicken we get in Malaysia (battery chicken essentially…), combined with the high humidity, chicken rendang doesn’t last very long if not kept refrigerated almost at all times. The best approach is to cook the rendang sauce/gravy until almost the desired consistency, and then add either shallow-fried or roasted chicken pieces (boneless or otherwise) to the sauce. Living in London, I’ve even made turkey rendang!! Next: lamb rendang!

      Reply

  103. When making beef rendang, there was mention of a spice mix. Can you tell me the name of a packaged spice mix that produces the right flavor. I tried several available to me here in USA and did not find them adequate. Their flavor was not as I remembered (and preferred) while in Malaysia.
    Please don’t be shy about brand names since I need to know which ones to try.
    Terima Kasih banyak.

    Ron

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  105. What a great looking recipe! I’m trying to make it in Brazil, but I could only find dehydrated galangal, kaffir limes and lemongrass. Do you think I could substitute the fresh ones for the dry? Should I soak them in water first?

    Thank you

    Reply

    • You’ll never get quite the same taste from dried but better than nothing. Dried kaffir lime leaves are okay or you could substitute a lime (put in it whole) as the zest oil is what you want. You’ll probably need to double up on the galangal but don’t pound/blend it in; simply fish it out before serving. Dried lemongrass is nasty; do want you can to get hold of some even if not entirely fresh.

      Reply

  107. in indo, there are many instant ingridients (indofood) for rendang. it just make simple, you simply add instant KARA coconut milk. ready !! :)

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  108. in indo, there are many instant ingridients (indofood) for rendang. it just make simple, you just simply add instant KARA coconut milk. ready !! :)

    Reply

  109. What kind of dried chilli do you use? Also if I make my own toasted coconut do I get the unsweetened kind and then toast in oven? Or sweetened kind? Thanks!

    Reply

    • BEN,
      The cooking process takes time… I made this yesterday and it took me about 3 hours! I spent the first hour, stirring the pot while the meat is simmering at medium heat. By then, the meat is almost cooked. Cover the lid and leave it for another 1 – 1.5 hours at low heat. :)

      Reply

  111. For Rendang you can use almost any kind of meat. Chicken, duck, fish, ell, or even egg. Rendang originated from Indonesia, but I think Malaysia had develop another different taste of rendang. I’ve been to Malaysia and tasted Malaysian rendang, it is as good as any rendang that I had tasted but it have a different touch. Like in West Sumatra, different area had different taste of rendang. For example there is rendang Pariaman and rendang Maninjau. Pariaman are the most popular rendang in Indonesia because a lot of West Sumatra restaurants owners are from Pariaman.

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  112. I love beef rendang and haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I was wondering is it possible to make the spice paste a few days in advance and should you keep it in the fridge or freezer?

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  114. I’m cooking this right now and it smells wonderful. I’ve just added a few extra chilli’s as I’m a masochist. The taste is already rich and wonderful. Thank you.

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  115. OK so far so good, tastes fine, a bit sweet, one major problem I ran into is that the lemongrass I can get here is obviously semi-dry and no matter how much I pounded it and shredded it the dish is full of little bit of shredded plastic :-(

    Reply

    • Had to save the dish by removing all the beef, and pushing the sauce through a seive to get rid of the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves :-( . I’ll know not to pound or shred our local lemongrass or dried lime leaves, maybe just crush them and add as bouquet garni wrapped in something like a small garlic net. Tasting it so far it is unusual, tasty but still a bit sweet for me.

      Reply

  116. 2 questions:

    1. When you mentioned “3 cloves” I presume you’re referring to garlic?
    2. I can’t find cardamom pods in local supermarkets here in Canada. Any substitutes? Or can I leave this out?

    Reply

  117. Way to sweet and the color is not good …. Don’t know what I did wrong??? Smelled good… But way to sweet and missing something… Did turn out like the picture…..

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  118. Lovely recipe! I’m making it now and it smells and tastes wonderful! It’s not done yet and I can hardly wait. :)

    I subbed in deer for the beef and omitted cloves and star anise (I have bad reactions to them) and it’s still wonderful. Thank you for the recipe. :)

    Reply

    • Instead of star anise you could try fennel or a little liquorice as substitute; if you’re allergic to those then I’m at a loss what to try. No idea what could sub for cloves. Have you tried using pure oil extract or does that draw the same allergic effects?

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  120. I just made this but cheated along the way and it turned out great, just like Pariaman Nasi Padang restaurant back home in Singapore.

    I used about 2lbs of beef chuck (pot roast) cubed into 1.5 inch pieces.

    For the spice paste you can get fresh Thai red curry paste here in tubs. I checked the ingredients. Has most of the rempah ingredients already.

    I made it in a pressure cooker and made my own kerisik.

    I sautéed the rempah and did have to add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and star anise.

    Once that was fragrant I added the beef and stirred. Didn’t need to add the lemongrass because the rempah already had it. Added a tin of coconut milk but skipped the water and also added the kerisik.

    Oh rempah already had the kaffir leaves as well. When I make rendang from scratch, I also ask cumin and coriander but rempah had that too.

    Stirred it all, covered and cooked under pressure 45 minutes.

    While waiting I made sayor lodeh using Thai green paste and coconut rice.

    After t was done, I had to let it simmer for a few minutes to reduce / thicken the gravy to my taste.

    By the way I also had to add palm sugar, tamarind

    45 minutes. Worth it. Bit greasy so after it cools I shall skim the fat off, and save the rest for tomorrow so the flavours develop further.

    Thank you for this recipe. It was a great inspiration. I wouldn’t have used any premix but I have used this before and it’s worth the few dollars and time savings.

    Reply

    • Definitely needs coriander powder (freshly ground is best) and turmeric powder too. I like a little toasted blachan (my malay bias) but not to everyone’s taste. The recipe is a good reminder as its been ages since I last cooked rendang from scratch;-p

      Reply

  121. This looks great — there’s a great little family restaurant back home in LA (IndoThai, in the Culver City area) that made this recipe, which I ordered every time I went.

    I’m going to try to make this in the slow cooker, but imagine I’ll have to adapt the liquid. Has anyone else tried it in the crock pot?

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  122. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh………… one man’s floor is another man’s ceiling…(subtitute “woman” if appropriate)…..i am sorry; i am of the camp that basically does not matter if you make from ingredients or package, as long as you are happy with the outcome and you enjoy the eating! exact?…nah!…..”pinch of this and a dollop of that” as long as you enjoy….cooking does not have to be so precise as to warrant examination for a gold trophy or medal from some french chef…just cook n enjoy!

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  123. This beef rendang recipe is the best and very reliable. I got what I imagined the taste to be. Your site for me is the best source of authentic Malaysian, Singaporean and Indonesian recipes.

    Thank you for being so generous in sharing tips and techniques.

    Cheers,

    Reply

  124. I lived in Singapore for 10 years and now I live in the UK. Beef Rendang is one of the things that I crave when I go back there! This recipe is the most authentic to me, having tried a few recipes in the past. I think the key ingredients that many other recipes miss out are star anise and kerisik (which is so easy to make yourself). I have a pot simmering right now and my whole house smells amazing! Great recipe! Selamat makan!

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  126. Hi, I’m making this recipe in the UK and can’t some of the exact ingredients. I was wondering if these would make ok substitutes? I can’t find the tamarind pulp so I’ve decided to make my own, which is apparently nicer. Is thicker better for this dish or should I add more water? Also substituting lime leaves for lime zest, making the keristik from desiccated coconut or should I just blend a fresh one? Instead of using dried chillies (which I can’t find) I’m going to use crushed, but how much will I need and do I need to prepare it in anyway first? And the last thing which I can’t find at all is Galangal, I can’t even find a powdered version. I’ve been told that ginger is the best substitute for this, but it doesn’t taste the same. There is also already ginger in the dish so would this involve me substituting it entirely with ginger or just adding a bit extra, is there anything else you can think of that I may be able to use instead? Sorry for all the questions, but I’m making this for my other half as it’s his favourite meal and I really want it to be just right. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

    Reply

      • Thank you for your reply. That’s a fair point, ha. The good news is I’ve actually managed to find everything bar the Galangal, I’m going to a few specialist stores tomorrow to see if I can find it there. If not would ginger work just as well or will the taste be completely different?

        Reply

        • Whereabouts do you live in the UK Emily? If you have a Wing Yip store close by you should be able to find all the ingredients in store. My store in Birmingham has fresh galangal (exhorbitantly priced though), and in paste form (in jars).

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        • Hi Emily,
          Guess this is a little late, but for the future, galangal is available minced in a jar in the speciality ingredients section of my local Sainsburys. Seems to be the only supermarket that stocks it though.
          I love this website. Slowly working my way through the recipes. Rendang should be ready in about 30 mins, smells ace! So far, chicken with ginger and scallions is my favourite. It’s better than any I have had from local restaurants.

          Reply

  127. For kerisik, normally after you toast the coconut until golden and aromatic, you need to pound them in pestle and mortar to become a slightly oily paste, then only you mix them in rendang. That will make your gravy thicker and creates more aromatic smell for the rendang. That is how i always do it. :)

    Reply

  129. Hi Bee,

    I would like to ask….are we using the whole green or black cardamon pods which sold by Indian groceries??? Hear from you very soon coz I’m going to make this dish this Friday…thank you ;)

    Reply

  130. May I ask why coriander is not included in the ingredients. I thought all curry recipes should include at least some coriander and cumin.

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  132. Hi there… love your recipes and really love/miss proper rendang with the toasted coconut. I would love to make this but I can’t get freshly grated coconut where I am (Dublin). Can I substitute with desiccated coconut? Thanks in advance for any advice/tips!

    Reply

  134. Hi, good day I just want to know if i could used dry galangal we are in the Caribbean Island, I saw most of the galangal dried slice or in powdered form.thanks , Miss Rasa Malaysia

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  135. Why did you remove the Indonesian tag from the recipe? There’s a reason why Rendang, Chicken Satay (Sate Ayam), and Soto Ayam is listed on CNN as Indonesian and not Malaysian nor Singapore. Just because our mom made us Egg Foo Yung since we’re kids doesn’t necessarily mean that Egg foo yung is Indonesian.

    Reply

    • Blue, the recipe is clearly marked as Indonesian recipes category at the top of the page below the title. If you did read the article, I clearly stated that this is an Indonesian recipe that was introduced to Malaysia. I made the Malaysian version of rendang and also marked it as Malaysian recipe.

      Reply

  136. Just wanted to correct you on the history of this dish! Actually the rendang is a staple Malay dish long before the Malaccan sultanate. That is because long before white colonialists (Portuegese/ Dutch/ English) dictated the borders of Indonesia and Malaysia as it is now – a whole lot of what is now Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia (among others) are considered one region (the Nusantara) which covers a large diaspora of the Malay people (Minangkabau, Batak, Jawa, Bugis, Daik etc) with similar culture and cuisines. Which is why Indonesia have a LOT of similarities with Malaysia when it comes to food because of this shared history.
    If you check out the cuisines of the native Melanaus in Sarawak – they too share stark similarities to some Filipino cuisines.
    Modern geopolitics have separated this large Nusantara region in several different nations – but before that it is like one huge country (albeit with different empires, but with similar diaspora of people).

    Reply

  138. Made a similar version of this recipe last year after researching about 25 different versions,and it was the BEST thing I’ve ever made. My dinner guests talked about it all year long!
    This year I made it with lamb and let me tell you, it was even better. Something about a good quality lamb shoulder combined with these spices and aromatics, simmered for over 2.5 hours just made for one of the best dishes known to man kind. Add a couple table spoons of fish sauce. It gives it a really nice subtle ‘umami’ note that blends really well with the other notes in the dish. One of my foodie guests said it was ‘the best thing I ever put in my mouth.’ Now that’s a compliment.

    Reply

  139. I’ve commented before but never got a reply. I want to know why does your Chinese cooking not contain water chestnuts, bamboo shoots or bean sprouts which are 3 very important ingredients in authentic Chinese food most particularly Chow Mein and Chop Suey?

    I’m a great fan of your and try 90% of your dishes! (I was married to a Chinese (South African)

    Reply

    • Hi Melanie – Where did you leave the comment? Chop Suey is an Americanized Chinese food and you will not find that in Asia. Authentic Chinese food don’t always have water chestnuts, bamboo shoots or bean sprouts….chow mein in Asia is very different from the chow mein here in the US. In the old times, there weren’t a lot of Asian ingredients and the Chinese chefs improvised the recipes based on what thye can get…bamboo shoots and water chestnuts are available in cans so they somehow become mainstays in Americanized Chinese food.

      Reply

  140. hi, recipe sounds fab. how many does it serve? i am making it for very large men from northern england so need to make sure i have enough!

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  142. I’ve tried this recipe twice so far and the only thing I’ve got to say about it is this dish is extremely tender and flavorful :D simply delicious! thank you for the recipe!

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  144. To cut the time to make Rendang without compromising its flavor, try using a pressure cooker. You’ll do it in half the time, and the beef will be extremely tender. One more thing; if you making your own Kerisik, you need to monitor the what I call “point-of-no-return”. You’ll have to get it just right if you want good Kerisik. Stop too early and you’ll get the not so flavorful version, which doesn’t help your Rendang. Stop too late and you’ll get the burnt version, which kills your Rendang. Cheerio!

    Reply

  145. Just tried this and the result is exactly what I was hoping for. Instead of letting it cook for 1 1/2 hours I slow cooked it for about 3 hours and it is so worth it. I’ve been looking for an authentic rendang recipe for a while now. This one is a keeper. Thanks :)

    Reply

  148. Hi, when you said 1inch or galangal and ginger .. How much actually you use cause galangal and ginger comes in different sizes.. Thanks

    Reply

  149. I lived in Malaysia for 6 years and always ordered this when out to eat. This version tastes completely authentic. I have made this many times for friends and needless to say they are always impressed. Funny to think I lived there all those years and never made it living there. Thanks Rasa Malaysia for bringing me all the way back to Malaysia without having to spend the airfare!!!
    Jeff

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  150. I ruined it by using concentrated Tamarind paste, I put a heaping spoon full(about 2 TBL) in and it was way overpowering. Otherwise turned out great can’t wait to make it again with much more restraint on the Tamarind paste, I’m thinking 1/2 – 1 tea spoon.

    Reply

  151. Your recipes exclude many of us in the United States because we do not have access to some of your ingredients.

    Reply

  152. Beef Rendang has been one of my favorite dishes for 50+ years. I lived in Kluang (about 50 miles north of Johore Bahru in the 1950s) and have been a frequent traveler to Singapore and Malaysia ever since. Now living in Dallas, TX. We have a kaffir lime tree in the garden (in a pot, so he comes in in the winter). He (yes he – no flowers, no fruit) has grown to nearly 8 feet tall and about 3 feet across. A great source of leaves for various dishes. But I digress.

    I made this recipe for a dinner event yesterday evening. It tasted fantastic. But it seemed a little wetter than I would have liked. Not sure why, but it was definitely a bit more “meat in a very thick gravy” like than the drier, almost paste like texture that I was expecting.

    I did make my own coconut milk (I have a coconut grinder that I bought in Singapore). and maybe made it a bit thin. So perhaps added too much water when following the recipe. Also used coconut sugar (the Korean supermarket that I went to didn’t have palm sugar that I could easily find). The coconut sugar was nice in the dish.

    Based on the method described, I am not sure what would cause it to dry out – since the majority of the cooking time was in a covered pot. I would be really interested in your comments/thoughts.

    I love the blog. You are doing terrific things. Thank you. Nyonya/Peranakan food is my favorite.

    Chris

    Reply

  153. This Rendang recipe is one of the best I’ve made. Truly authentic in its flavour and true to the Rendangs I enjoyed in Malaysia. It’s even better reheated the next day.

    Reply

  157. Hi,
    I want to make a bigger batch of beef rendang, say 2 kgs of meat, should I increase the amount of the other ingredients also in proportion to the meat? I know this question sounds stupid, but i’ve never worked with some of these ingredients before, and im afraid i may end up overpowering the dish with too much flavor. Thanks!

    Reply

  158. I can only buy short ribs with the bone in in the UK and need to scale the recipe to serve 16-18 people. Do you think I’d be able to use bone-in ribs instead in this recipe? Or would it affect the cooking time/amount of liquid needed to cover them etc.? I guess the alternative is to just cut away the bones myself, shouldn’t be too hard, right? The recipe looks great, I just need to make sure it works first time! Any advice would be very much appreciated.

    Reply

    • Hi Sarah, I just made this using beef brisket and was yummy – may be a little longer on the cooking time or cut the beef smaller than I did

      Reply

  159. Hi, I will be using 2kg of beef so am I supposed to increase every ingredient (including spice paste) by about 3x? Kindly and appreciate your response. Thanks

    Reply

  160. I learned to cook this Rendang recipe from a lady who spent most of her life in KL before moving to the UK with her husband. Your recipe is identical! The only difference with her recipe is the addition of one tablespoon of fragrant ground almonds, and the use of red onions when shallots are not available! I leave mine in a slow cooker until it’s almost dry. The beef is so tender and full of flavour. I like to serve it with fine vermicelli noodles and rice. It is my favourite recipe for beef! I am inspired to alter the quantity of ingredients after having viewed your website.

    Reply

  162. Great recipe, made this for the family and it was a hit. Not hard to make, a bit time consuming but well worth it. This will be a go to recipe. Thanks for sharing,

    Reply

  163. Yes I have cooked this at least ten times and it’s really authentic. I cook it over the stove at first until the water has reduced by half and then I transfer to a slow cooker for the next 3 hours. It tastes even more awesome the next day!

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  165. Made this last night, nice,little lemongrassey tho. Wonder if coriander would help, I didn’t tinker enough. I was going to post a photo but I can’t find where!

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  166. Yeah not complaining!! Some leftover in the fridge will enjoy that tonight (aus time) and see how it’s developed!

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  167. Cooked rendang for the first time and I am happy. However , I add a little bit more sugar to suit my taste. The recepi is easy to follow. Thank you so much.

    Reply

  168. I just made this beef rendang last night and it came out spectacular. Thank you. However, your estimate of 15 minutes prep time is not at all realistic, even for an experienced cook, unless you already have the spice paste and the kerisik on hand. Nevertheless, it was worth it. Yum! I’m having leftovers for lunch momentarily.

    Reply

  170. Prepped this tonight along with your chicken satay and peanut sauce to cook tomorrow for date night. Used tamarind paste, slightly worried it may not work out great because of that but will see tomorrow :)

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  171. great to know rendang as most delicius food in the world by CNN version. And i can find the recepies here.. thanks you darling

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  172. I very love rendang, and hoping world know how delicius this food.
    rendang is the delicius food in the world,
    hip hip horay hip hip horay

    Reply

  174. Tried it tonight and followed the recipe. I just did not have that type of beef cut so had to replace it with flank steak. It was absolutely DELICIOUS! I will make it again and again because it was so easy too! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

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